Publications: Energy Security

Russian ambitions in the energy sphere and the global financial crisis

Posted on 2008-10-14.

For the time being, the current financial crisis has halted the Russian economic boom. The government is compelled to invest $ 100 billion for the bail-out of the banking system, money that comes from the Kremlin’s foreign-currency reserves totalling $ 600 billion. Currently, capital outflow exceeds the inflow. Having financed their acquisitions with Western money, Russian oligarchs feel the pain too, as credits, due to the liquidity crisis, are not granted anymore. The reform and modernization programme, proposed by Russian president Medvedev earlier this year seems to have been postponed. The state appears to be gaining ground again. If the global price of oil continues to fall, Moscow will not be able to implement the ambitious budget set for 2009. As yet, however, it is too early to issue an obituary to Russia’s economy. Speaking at the “Russia Breakfast” on the implications of the financial crisis for Russian energy policy, Tatiana Mitrova, head of the Centre for International Energy Market Studies at the Energy Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences emphasized that the current condition represents a serious test case for the Russian economic system.

Can the United States Shed Its Oil Addiction?

Posted on 2007-09-14.

Instead of competing with rising powers for scarce fossil energy resources of the past, security, economic, and environmental factors give U.S. policymakers strong incentives to lead the country in cultivating the alternative fuels and energy technologies of the future.

Germany and Russia: A Special Relationship

Posted on 2007-03-01.

German elites enjoy their role as an advocate of European interests with Russia and often as mediator between Moscow and Washington but are struggling to balance promoting business ties, engaging Russia on liberal reform, and fostering the growth of the post-Soviet states.

Out of Gas

Posted on 2007-03-01.

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An immanent threat of significant gas shortfalls further jeopardizes Russia’s status as a reliable energy partner. The supply gap that Gazprom faces has severe implications for European importers and EU energy policy in general. The European Union must diversify its natural gas imports and expand other energy sources—including nuclear power.

Towards a European Energy Foreign Policy?

Posted on 2007-01-11.

Die Auswirkungen globaler Ressourcen- und Energiekonkurrenz – die in Deutschland und Europa spätestens seit der russisch-ukrainischen Gaskrise im vergangenen Jahr manifest wurden – diskutiert Frank Umbach in seinem Artikel „Towards A European Energy Foreign Policy?“, erschienen in „Foreign Policy in Dialogue“ vom 11.01.2007. Im Zentrum stehen dabei künftige Herausforderungen für die europäische Energie(außen-)politik, die sich vornehmlich aus der lange von europäischer Seite nicht erkannten Tatsache ergeben, daß Rußland seine strategischen Energiereserven als außenpolitisches Instrument einzusetzen gewillt ist.

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